BWW Reviews: Tony-Nominated Writers PASEK AND PAUL Share Love of Musical Theatre with Bethesda Audience

Act Two @ Levine, one of the strongest youth musical theatre education programs in our area, continued its tradition this week of providing its cast members with opportunities to learn from the best of the business in Washington, DC and beyond. The young and enormously talented Tony-nominated writing team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (for A Christmas Story) provided a masterclass for those participating in Act Two's intensive Pre-Professional Program and then delivered a concert that not only proved entertaining, but also provided more opportunities for the young musical theatre aficionados to learn. Pasek and Paul, who met as freshmen musical theatre students at the University of Michigan, showcased not only their considerable songwriting talent, but their ability to engage an audience whether delivering a song or stories about their life writing for the theatre.

Pasek and Paul's catchy music easily filled the rehearsal hall at the Levine School's Bethesda campus, located at the venerable Music Center at Strathmore, making everyone forget the less than ideal temperature in the room (including me, your cranky reviewer). Whether embodying US Marines in the high-energy opener to their Off-Broadway musical Dogfight ("Some Kinda Time"), remembering the perils of growing up in various selections from Edges ("In Short," "I Hmm You," and "Pretty Sweet Day" among others), or taking on more family-friendly selections from their first Broadway offering, A Christmas Story, a cut musical about Peter Pan, or their TYA offering, James and the Giant Peach, their infectious energy, solid rapport with one another, and proficient and polished vocals proved key ingredients for wowing the appreciative crowd. A few standout moments emerged.

I had the opportunity to see Dogfight when it premiered at Second Stage in New York and thought it offered one of the strongest contemporary musical theatre scores I've heard in a while from the new guard of writers. The explosive and raw energy the team brought to "Some Kinda Time" easily matched that of the cast during the performance I saw. The Act Two @ Levine students clearly were enthralled to hear the writers tackle this catchy number - many were singing along - so it made it that much more special. I did wish there was at least one more selection from Dogfight included in the concert - perhaps one of the more tender numbers to give a flavor of the varied styles they employed in that score - but we can save that for another event.

Another strong moment emerged with Justin alone at the piano sharing a song from a cut musical about Peter Pan and Neverland (cue quip about cut musicals instead of cut songs and the overabundance of shows dealing with that story in one way or another). "Do You Remember?" showcased his expansive vocal range, but the wistful delivery and noteworthy connection to the lyrics - here and in the moment in a performance setting - was even more impressive. Likewise, the duo captured that same kind of meaningful emotion in "Rewrite This Story" (written for the short-lived NBC television series, Smash). While the lyrics convey ideas found in many a musical theatre number (though well-composed, it is your standard "I want to change my path" kind of song), they worked well in the context of the television show's narrative. The performance highlighted the fact that no matter how expected the lyrics are, if delivered with emotional honesty they can mean something.

Many of the numbers from Edges proved to be a hit with the young audience and for good reason. Whether taking on songs about altered relationships or relationships gone ("Pretty Sweet Day" and "I Hmm You") or a song about wanting to get out of a small town ("Monticello," preceded by a funny story about the inspiration for that song), Pasek and Paul's youthful energy proved well-suited to bringing out the humor, but also the truth, in the relatable lyrics. While decidedly more family-friendly, "Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun" and "A Christmas Story" (from the Broadway musical, A Christmas Story) also allowed them the chance to share their humorous side. Those who have seen A Christmas Story on Broadway, in a return engagement at the Madison Square Garden last year, or on tour, may be asking how the title song could be deemed humorous. Let's just say the rendition of the heartwarming number was not a recreation of how it is usually performed in the show. Who knew it would make any sense to combine a country interpretation, a R&B interpretation, and musical theatre interpretation of the song into one performance? It did at this concert because the performers had fun with it.

The most meaningful moment of the concert, however, came in the form of "Ready to Be Loved" (from Edges), which closed the show with the help of the Act Two cast members. Throughout the evening of stories and song, the duo made obvious their clearly interest in sharing their love of musical theatre with the next generation. The decision to teach the students the chorus of the song and invite them to sing along with them emphasized this commitment in a great way.

Running Time: About an hour and 40 minutes with no intermission.

This concert was a one-night-only event at the Music Center at Strathmore - 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD - on November 24, 2014. For more information on Act Two @ Levine and upcoming performances, visit its official website. For more information on Pasek and Paul, visit the duo's official website.

Photo Credit: Scott Selman

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